Tunnel.



W. BUTLER.

TUNNEL.

APPLIOATION FILED M117, 1909. patgnted May 17 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W BUTLER. TUNNEL.

APPLIOATION IILED MAY 7, 1909.

Patented May 17,1910.

2 sums-slum 2.

W2 fn asses ANDREW a a AM co vnorovuruocawnzns. WASHINGTON, DJ.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER BUTLER, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

TUNNEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER BUTLER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tunnels,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

This invention consists in the method of building a timnel by pushing ashield forward and building within the shield a permanent lining againstwhich the hydraulic jacks for forcing the shield may be buttressed; thislining being built up of ring sections of blocks without the necessityof false work or timbering.

My invention consists further in applying to the outer face of thislining applied from the inside, a layer of grouting or cement, and alsoin cementing the joint between the blocks of this lining after they arelaid in position; and in the manner of supporting the blocks of asection until the entire ring is completed, without the necessity ofusing timbering or false work.

My invention consists further in the construction and the mode ofoperation; all as more fully hereinafter described and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a Vertical central longitudinal sectionthrough a tunnel embodying my invention, showing the shield in position;Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line cc-w of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective of the end of the tunnel, more or less broken away toillustrate more clearly the construction; Fig. i is a perspective viewof two of the blocks of the linlng; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of thewedge used for expanding the ring of blocks laid; and Fig. 6 is asection through a portion of two of the blocks, showing the passages 01with the reinforcing hoop therein.

B represents the shield, which is a cylindrical shell centrallyreinforced, and having a forward cutting edge, so that it may be pushedforward through the soil by hydraulic jacks, in the wellknown manner.The shield is provided with any suitable abutments, such as ribs C,against which the hydraulic jacks D can abut, for forcing the shieldforward, there being an inner lining D within theshield. As the workprogresses and the shield is moved forward, pushed by the jacks in theusual manner, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 7, 1909.

Patented May 1'7, 1910. Serial No. 494,667.

lining is built within the tail of the shield, or just beyond the endthereof. In the con struction here shown, I add the lining sectionswithin the tail of the shield, and in putting in the lining proceed asfollows: I first place around the tail of the shield on the lowerportion thereof a series of spacingblocks E, shown in Fig. 2, and onthese spacing blocks I place a hoop of band iron, F. The hoop will bespaced from the shield shell a distance equal to the thickness of theblocks E, which space I have lettered G. I then lay on this hoopsegmental blocks H of cement or concrete, or similar material. Theseblocks are preferably provided with a groove (4 on their outer faces,adapted to engage the hoop. I first lay the lower half of a ring orcircle of these blocks upon the hoop F, filling the space G withgrouting, or plastic cement. This may be put in behind and below theblocks in any desired manner. hen I reach a point above the middle line,where the blocks I-I would not be retained by gravity, I lay the blocksof the upper half of the ring, one at a time, and hold each temporarilyin place by a jack, such as D, bearing against the outer edge of theblock and pressing against the abutment in the' shield; the blocks beingpressed against the last laid row of blocks and thus held in position.The key -block is rovided with a tapering groove Z) (Fig. 45 adapted toreceive a wedge 0 which is then driven in and tightly clamps the ring ofblocks in position,

all within the hoop and all spaced from the inner face of the tail ofthe shield, by the space G. For the purpose of distributing the cementand causing it to fill the space G as well as spaces between each blockand the meeting faces of adjoining blocks, I provide each block withpassages which will permit this to be done. The construction I haveshown for this comprises grooves (Z on each side face of the block,extending the full length thereof, and grooves e, at each end. of theblock, in the same line as the grooves (Z; and also a groove 72.,leading from the groove 6 to the outer face of the block. Preferably, inone or more of these blocks, in the process of manufacture, I cast in apipe 2' which extends transversely of the block and communicates withthe grooves cl at the opposite sides thereof; and I provide at itsmiddle a supply-pipe 70, leading to the inner face of the block,preferably at or near the middle. It is obvious that the forwardend. ofthe space G is open, and I close this in any suitable manner, before anygrout or cement is placed, preferably by means of segmental strips Zheld in place by small jacks m, abutting at their outer ends agalnst theabutments C of the shield. I also plug the outer end of the passage madeby the complementary grooves e in the forward faces of the bloc rs..Vith these passages and spaces closed, all egress except to the space Gis closed; and I attach to the pipe is a suitable pump for forcing theliquid cement or concrete, or grouting, which will pass into the annularpassageway formed by the complementary grooves (Z in the newly laid ringof blocks and that last previously laid, which passageway I have markeda (Fig. 6). In passing around this passageway, the liquid cement willfind exit into the space G through the grooves h. This operation iscontinued until the space G is completely filled with cement, and alsoall of the passages n and those formed by the grooves c and it. Whenthis cement thus flows in as described, sets and hardens, it will form asolid structure comprising the blocks laid and the cement in the spaceG. I It will be observed also that the metallic hoop will form areinforcement, entirely embedded within the cement and protected fromcorrosion. The lining thus described may be the complete lining for thetunnel, in some cases, or it may, as in the construction here shown, bethe outer layer only of the lining. If it is not necessary to make awater-tight tunnel, the outer covering of cement in the space Gr may beomitted, and the passages in the blocks may be omitted; in which casethe blocks would simply be laid, in the manner described, until thekeyblock was secured in position, and then the next row or ring be laid.Such a mode might be useful, for instance, for sewer construction.

here other lining is required or desired for the tunnel, I may proceedas follows: I preferably place on the inner face of the blocks laid asdescribed a layer of cement or concrete 1, which may be applied by anyof the known and usual methods of applying such cement. I prefer toreinforce this concrete filling or layer, and this may be done in anydesired manner. I have shown such reinforcement as comprisingcircumferential. rods 0 and longitudinal rods 9'. Thus it will be seenthat the blocks, prefer ably of cement, laid as described, are embeddedbetween layers of cement, so as to make a practically solid structurefrom the shell inward to the inner face of this filling or cement layerlast described. lVithin the lining thus described, any desired finishinglining may be applied. This may be of brick or cement blocks,and I haveshown cement blocks J therefor, which may be manufactured and put inplace in the usual manner. The shield is then moved forward by means ofthe jacks in the usual way, and the operation described is repeated. Atunnel produced by the method described is simpler to build and cheaperin cost, as each layer or ring of blocks put in place forms the abutmentagainst which one end of the jacks may be engaged, the other end beingplaced against a shoulder on the shield to move the shield forward; andthe permanent masonry lining performs all the duties of the false workor timbering usually employed.

The method of placing segmental blocks in their permanent position canbe accomplished by any of the well-known mechanical appliances in usefor work of similar kind. Immediately upon the proper placement of eachblock the hydraulic jacks used for advancing the shield can be placedagainst it with sufficient pressure to hold it in position until theentire ring is completed and keyed, which keying makes each ring, by theaid of exterior reinforcement band or hoop, self-supporting; thusdispensing with any centering or false work usuallv used in theconstruction and placing of tunnel lining, clearly establishing theeconomy of this method of tunnel construction.

The blocks which I employ to space the hoop F from the shell may beblocks of cement, if desired, so that there will be no lack ofhomogeneity in the material outside of the blocks.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a metal hoop R, placed in the passage a. Thisshould be placed before the new ring of blocks is laid, and when thecement is forced into that passage and hardens, acts as a reinforcement.

It will be obvious that the successive rings of blocks actually contacteach other (al though a thin layer of cement may be placed between asthey are laid) and thus the acks for forcing the shield can be placeddirectly against the masonry rings as soon as laid, without damage tothe liningas would be the case if ordinary masonry were laid for thelining.

hat I claim as my invention is 1. The method of lining a tunnel in whichthe bore is made by driving forward a shield, consisting in laying aring of cement blocks conforming to the shape of the tunnel andfOlllllIlg the permanent lining of the tunnel, holding the upper blocksof the ring by clamping them between the shield and the end of thetunnel lining until the key-block is placed.

2. The method of lining a tunnel in which the bore is made by drivingforward a shield, consisting in laying a ring of blocks conforming tothe shape of the tunnel and forming the permanent lining of the tunnel,holding the upper blocks of the ring by jacks pressing against theshield and forcing the blocks againstthe already-laid lining until thekey-block is placed, and then in applying cement in the joints of theblocks from inside the tunnel.

3. The process of lining a tunnel in which the bore is made by drivingforward a shield, consisting in forming a lining of blocks within thetail of the shield, spaced therefrol'n, and filling said space withplastic cement from within the shield.

1. The process of lining a tunnel in which the bore is made by drivingforward a shield, consisting in forming a layer of blocks within thetail of the shield, spaced therefrom and with passages between theblocks leading into the outside space, and filling said space andpassages with plastic cement from within the shield.

The process of lining a tunnel, consisting in laying rings of blockswithin the tunnel bore, provided with passages for liquid cement, andthen forcing liquid cement into the passages to solidify the ring.

6. The process of lining a tunnel, consisting in laying rings of blockswithin the tunnel bore, but spaced therefrom, and then forcing liquidcement from inside the tunnel into the space outside the blocks, torender the same solid.

7. The process of lining a tunnel in which the bore is formed by forcingforward a shield, consisting in laying rings of blocks having passagestherein within the bore, spaced therefrom, and then forcing liquidcement into the passages and the space outside to fill the same tothereby render the whole a monolith.

8. The process of lining a tunnel, which consists in laying a ring ofblocks within the bore by first laying the lower half of the ring andthen in laying the upper half and holding the blocks in the upper halfin position by the pressure of jacks at the sides thereof, until thekey-block is in position.

9. The process of lining a tunnel in which the bore is made by drivingforward a shield, consisting in laying rings of blocks having passagesin their meeting faces, within the bore but spaced therefrom, closing upthe end of the space between the shield and blocks and the outwardlyopening passages, then forcing liquid cement through the passages tofill the space between the shield and blocks and the passages, andallowing the same to harden into a monolithic structure.

10. The method of lining a tunnel in which the bore is made by drivingforward a shield, consisting in placing a hoop within the tail of theshield, spaced therefrom, and next laying a ring of blocks in the hoopconforming to the shape of the tunnel.

11. The method of forming a tunnel in which the bore is made by drivingforward a shield, consisting in placing a hoop within the tail of theshield, spaced therefrom, laying a ring of blocks in the hoop conformingto the shape of the tunnel, and rendering the whole solid by grouting orcement in the space outside the ring.

12. The process of lining a tunnel in which the bore is made by forcingforward a shield, consisting in supporting a hoop concentrically withinthe shield and spaced from the walls thereof, laying a ring of concreteblocks within the hoop, and filling the space between the shield andblocks with plastic cement, and allowing the same to harden.

13. The process of lining a tunnel in which the bore is made by drivingforward a shield, consisting in supporting a hoop in the tail of theshield, laying a ring of blocks therein, conforming to the shape of thetunnel, and then expanding the ring of blocks against the hoop.

14c. The process of making a tunnel tube, consisting in laying a hoop oflesser diameter, within the bore, laying a ring of blocks within thehoop, and cementing the ring sections together and to the adjoining ringsection.

15. A tunnel comprising a series of rings of blocks, and a hoop for eachring of blocks, in which the blocks are locked.

16. A tunnel comprising a series of rings of blocks, a hoop for eachring of blocks, and means for expanding the rings of blocks in the hoop.

17 A tunnel comprising a series of rings of blocks, and cement insideand outside the blocks, binding the rings together.

18. A tunnel comprising a series of rings of blocks, a hoop embracingeach ring of blocks, and cement outside the blocks and hoop.

19. The combination in a tunnel of spacing blocks or ribs, a layer ofconcrete blocks on said blocks or ribs, said concrete blocks havinggrooves in their meeting edges and passages leading to the outside faceof the blocks, and cement applied to fill said passages and the spaceoutside the blocks.

20. A tunnel comprising a tube of blocks, 115 laid free from the shieldor bore, and concrete applied outside the blocks and between the same.

21. A tunnel comprising the tube of blocks free from the bore or shieldand concrete ap- 120 plied outside the blocks and between the same, anda layer of reinforced concrete within this tube.

22. A tunnel comprising a tube of blocks spaced from the bore or shield,concrete out- 125 side and between the blocks, a layer of con cretewithin this layer of blocks, and annular and longitudinal metallicreinforcing rods in said layer.

23. A tunnel comprising a built-up mono-v 130 lithic tube, comprisingrows of concrete l in their meeting faces, reinforcing hoops in 10blacks spaced from the shield 01' bore, ringsaid passages, and cementfilling the passhaped metallic bands With Which the blocks sages.

of each row are engaged, the blocks having In testimony whereof I afiiXmy signature distributing channels in the meeting faces, in presence oftwo witnesses.

and a filling of cement outside the blocks I WALTER BUTLER.

and in the assa 'es between the blocks. l Witnesses:

O I 2 A tunnel comprlsing a series of rings FRED SOMMERS, of blocks,having circumferential passages l G. LENZER.

